The Bright Night – with Volker Wieprecht

The new talk show in the Grand Auditorium

Unusual knowledge on the big stage: with special guests and NOVA, an AI robot

On 25 October, the rbb’s Großer Sendesaal will become a venue for unusual questions and surprising answers: in ‘The Bright Night – with Volker Wieprecht’, the audience will encounter fascinating fields of knowledge, extraordinary guests – and NOVA, an AI agent housed in a robot who reacts live to the conversation.

However, the focus remains, quite traditionally, on the guests and their topics: in the first two episodes, Volker Wieprecht speaks with robotics researcher Dr Ivo Boblan, head of the robotics department at Berlin University of Applied Sciences, and ant researcher Susanne Foitzik. The programme explores knowledge that is far from everyday – and the people who are passionate about it.

The new talk show combines face-to-face encounters in the studio with a unique experiment: it is the first talk show on German television to feature an AI robot on a permanent basis. NOVA is neither an oracle nor a co-presenter. She listens, summarises thoughts from a layperson’s perspective and occasionally introduces surprising connections into the conversation. The limitations of artificial intelligence also become apparent – for example, when NOVA offers made-up options alongside the correct answer in a quiz.

Volker Wieprecht engages with his guests and the AI, as usual, with journalistic curiosity, precision and humour. Together with the audience, he explores new realms of thought: ‘Die helle Nacht’ is an evening in the main studio where people, expertise and artificial intelligence come together – with conversations that make knowledge accessible and spark a desire for more questions.

Recorded: 25 October 2026, 6.00 pm, rbb Großer Sendesaal

On rbb television: 31 October, 10.00 pm

Presenter: Volker Wieprecht

Producers: Ralf Ayen, Katrin Mink, Lea Neuhaus